A meeting cosponsored by the Getty Conservation Institute and English Heritage was held December 7-8, 2000, in London to discuss inorganic consolidants and related techniques—specifically, lime water, barium hydroxide, and artificial oxalates.

The meeting's objectives were to identify outstanding questions related to these materials and their applications and to develop proposals for future research and collaboration. Recent developments in the use of tartrate conversion coatings and biomineralization techniques were also considered. An international group of conservators and conservation scientists was invited to participate, including representatives from English Heritage, the Institute of Archaeology of University College London, the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside in the United Kingdom, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, Columbia University in New York, and the University of Granada in Spain.

The meeting was held as part of a feasibility study developed at the GCI to investigate the state of knowledge and the need for research regarding inorganic consolidants and their use.

Meeting Participants

Eric DoehneScientist
Getty Conservation Institute

John FidlerHead, Building Conservation and Research
English Heritage

Eric HansenScientist
Getty Conservation Institute

John LarsonConservator
Conservation Center, National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

Eleni LoizidesBuilding Conservation and Research Team
English Heritage